A charming tale of Christmas hopes and dreams—and of a mysterious man who can provide both for a divided family, Whittlesworth Comes to Christmas is Gerald R. Toner’s second book. It follows on the heels of his successful and acclaimed Lipstick Like Lindsay’s and Other Christmas Stories, and brings the genre of Christmas stories for adults to a new height.

Writing with warmth and sensitivity, as well as a keen sense of the realities of modern-day life, Toner tells the story of a distinguished family with a mystery that has become a legend in their town-namely, James Whittlesworth Ash, the eccentric and elusive millionaire that no one in the family has seen for fifty-five years. Nearing the end of his life, he decides to go back home for Christmas, and a bizarre turn of events returns the long-lost Uncle Whittlesworth to a family he needs but does not know and a feud that threatens to be his undoing.

Clever, perceptive, and imaginative, the story is an exploration of families and love, of deceit and the evolution of a new life. It is a modern Christmas tale that addresses the good in all of us, and our hopes for a second chance.

About the AuthorAn accomplished writer of novels, short stories, and plays, Gerald R. Toner is also the author of the acclaimed book of short stories, Lipstick Like Lindsay’s and Other Christmas Stories. His works have appeared in such magazines as Ladies’ Home Journal, The Saturday Evening Post, and Redbook. Toner was born and raised in Kentucky, and currently resides in Louisville, where he is a partner in a law firm. He is active in many community organizations, including the Presbyterian church. Toner is married and has two children.